suffuse

American  

[suh-fyooz] / səˈfyuz /

verb (used with object)

suffused, suffusing

1. to overspread with or as with a liquid, color, etc.

   Synonyms:

   flood, bathe, diffuse, pervade, cover

---

suffuse British  

/ səˈfjuːʒən, səˈfjuːz /

verb

1. (tr; usually passive) to spread or flood through or over (something)

   the evening sky was suffused with red

---

Other Word Forms

• suffusedly adverb
• suffusion noun
• suffusive adjective
• unsuffused adjective
• unsuffusive adjective

Etymology

Origin of suffuse

First recorded in 1580–90, suffuse is from the Latin word suffūsus (past participle of suffundere ). See suf-, fuse ²

Example Sentences

Nonsurgical options like dermal fillers or fat grafting can suffuse depressions to create a more centered appearance.

From Slate • Feb. 22, 2026

With each breath, we suffuse our bodies with oxygen-rich air that keeps our organs and tissues healthy and working properly -- and without oxygen, we can survive mere minutes.

From Science Daily • Mar. 6, 2024

The super-bloom was just beginning to suffuse wide swaths of the slopes in purple and orange.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2023

Jazz, minimalism and a rich sense of unfolding mystery suffuse “The Fours” by Makaya McCraven, the drummer, composer and producer whose next album, “In These Times,” arrives Sept. 23.

From New York Times • Sep. 9, 2022

That winter seemed to stretch on interminably, but spring finally crept back to West Riding to suffuse the meadow in a glow of pale green.

From "Ash" by Malinda Lo

Related Words

• bathe
• permeate
• saturate
• steep
• tinge